Why An Instagram Pod Can Do More Harm Than Good
I constantly see business owners and creatives posting in Facebook pages about creating an Instagram pod. These posts never fail to make me cringe because quite honestly Instagram pods could be hurting your social media game. Now let me explain…
Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room -- what is an Instagram Pod?
An Instagram pod is a group of Instagram accounts that consciously engage with other accounts in the group by commenting, responding to stories, and liking posts. The pod typically has a group direct message in the app where they share their most recent posts to encourage engagement. I’ll be the first to admit this idea initially seemed amazing, a win-win for everyone. While the intentions are good behind these pods, Instagram pods could be steering you away from your ideal client and here’s why.
Instagram pods affect the algorithm and the data collected on your account.
The newest Instagram algorithm is semi-chronological. Besides taking into account the timeliness of each post, the app also considers a few other factors with relationship being one of the most important.
This relationship factor takes into consideration the accounts you interact with on the account.
The followers that you engage with and that engage with your accounts affect the algorithm. The more relationships you make with your followers, the more likely your content will show up in their feed. Take the time to consider if the group you’re creating a pod with is actually your target audience. There’s a significant chance that a pod will not help you connect with potential clients or your ideal follower which is why Instagram pods don’t always work the way they’re intended.
On the other hand, if your pod is comprised of accounts similar to your target audience and followers in the correct time zone, they can be somewhat effective in creating engagement. But for engaging with those ‘dreamy’ followers, I’d recommend ditching the pod and focusing that time on curating engagement another way.
If you’re looking for ways to increase engagement on Instagram, I suggest creating interactive content on Instagram stories, connecting with similar accounts, and utilizing analytics for scheduling your posts. I share my best tips for increasing engagement organically on Instagram in a FREEBIE download.
